SALDAñA LIKELY TO BACK ALVAREZ IN MAYOR RACE

San Diego 
Ending weeks of curiosity about whether she will run for mayor, former Assemblywoman Lori Saldaña is expected to back City Councilman David Alvarez instead.

The Alvarez campaign sent an advisory Tuesday afternoon about a “big announcement” from Alvarez and Saldaña Wednesday morning in Clairemont.

Stephen Heverly, a spokesman for the Alvarez campaign, didn’t confirm or deny an endorsement from Saldaña.

“I think it’s fairly clear on the advisory itself,” Heverly said.

Alvarez was immersed in a City Council meeting Tuesday evening on the community plan dispute in Barrio Logan in his district. Saldaña didn’t reply to requests for comment.

Saldaña is a progressive Democrat who backed pro-environmental measures while in the state Assembly. She is now the chair of the Sierra Club, San Diego Chapter.

But many Democrats that might have supported her have largely gravitated to Alvarez. He also gained the backing of the influential Labor Council of San Diego and Imperial Counties that would have been crucial to Saldaña.

When the Labor Council met to decide who to endorse, Saldaña made a surprise showing to make her case.

In contemplating whether to run, Saldaña bemoaned the fact that there was no high-profile woman in the field of more than 30 candidates running in a special election on Nov. 19. Former Mayor Bob Filner resigned Aug. 30 amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

The major Democrats in the race now include former Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, former City Attorney Mike Aguirre and Alvarez. Councilman Kevin Faulconer is the lone high-profile Republican in the race.

If no candidate wins a majority in the Nov. 19 election, the two candidates with the most votes will face a runoff early next year.